


of gods and heretics

by GalacticGoldfish



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Comfort, Fever, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Love/Hate, M/M, Massage, Pinching, Sick Character, Sleeping on the Floor, nonsexual massage, not friends and not lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-10 20:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18415370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalacticGoldfish/pseuds/GalacticGoldfish
Summary: who knew that an immortal man infested with starscourge and the power to subjugate gods could still fall sick?





	of gods and heretics

Ardyn felt undignified collapsed on the floor with his face pressed against Verstael's chest. When he had collapsed he had dragged the scientist with him and of course they had both toppled to the floor. The fact of the matter was Ardyn felt as though his body weighted a thousand pounds. Though with his abilities lifting that would probably be a mildly regular feat it was different this time. He felt as though the weight of the world had once more collapsed on him and that he was finally going to be crushed. Of course that meant Verstael would be crushed as well but, that was just how things happened sometimes.

In reality there was no actual crushing happening and no great physical weight on Ardyn. He had never been sick a day in his life and it was a record that he was hoping to keep if he was being completely honest. But his body seemed to have other plans for Ardyn as he shivered lightly, his body shaking despite his attempts to keep it under control. **"You know, this would be a prime time to let me examine you and see the effects of being sick on your body."** Verstael spoke as he always did, with a cool curiosity that was barely contained in what could be construed as a polite voice.

**"You'll do nothing of the sort you crazed heretic."** Struggling, Ardyn tried to push himself up off of the other man but with his arms giving out it was impossible. Sinking instead further into the scent of whatever cologne Verstael was using to mask the smell of blood and sterilized surfaces from his lab. It wasn't the worst smell in the world. In fact he could probably get used to it and seeing how he was now trapped on the ground he would probably have to. Ardyn felt his body tense as one of Verstael's gloved hands touched his back. 

It wasn't the first time that he had touched him and it wouldn't be the last. But this was one of Ardyn's more vulnerable moments since he had been released from the prison his brother had shoved him into. The last thing he needed was Verstael getting comfortable with the idea that somehow he might be weakened enough for more of his examinations. **"Come now, just a small check up. I would wager that this is nothing more than a simple bug you've caught. Being locked up in an isolated prison will do that I suppose. Make you weak to certain... stimuli."**

The choice of wording on the scientist's part caused Ardyn to reach up and pinch him on the neck. Not hard enough to really hurt him. Beyond maybe leaving a bruise. When Verstael yelped in pain Ardyn released him quickly. After all there were all sorts of nasty blood vessels in the neck that could simply kill someone dead if you broke it. And that would probably be a shame to someone out there that this disgusting man was dead. Maybe even he would... Though not likely. 

Resigned to his fate and the hand on his back Ardyn closed his eyes to try and relax his body. As always the dull ache in his body was centered around his back. Being stretched out for what seemed like an eternity had an unfortunate toll on his body that wouldn't go away. While most of his body tended to be in tip top shape there was nothing that could be done about his back constantly hurting. **"You've got a fever, poor thing. At least I suppose its a fever and not some horrible curse for subjugating the god of hellfire."** Another pinch, this time on the other side of Verstael's neck made him go quiet.

At this rate if he kept opening his mouth he was going to be covered in those tiny bruises. But there were times where Ardyn couldn't bother to comprehend most of the things that came out of his mouth. They seemed like nonsense to him. Cloning. Computers. That... pocket communicator that he had insisted Ardyn carry around with him. All of it was far too much for him to really be concerned about. He had locked on a goal in mind and he wasn't about to be defeated by some meager illness. Though it was getting difficult to keep his eyes open. 

He was tired from whatever illness this was and Verstael's attempts at unsettling him by making him think that Ifrit was to blame wasn't going to work on him. If the god wanted to kill him he should have done it before being subjugated by the starscourge. If any god wanted to kill him they were welcome to come and try. Ardyn relaxed into the touch of Verstael's other gloved hand touching his hair. Being sick had caused a light sweat to break on Ardyn's forehead. The result being that his hair felt greasy and disgusting. But there was nothing that he could or would do about that now.

**"You're so ill, I should really get you into bed Ardyn."** He kept absently petting Ardyn's hair and back. Pushing his fingers slowly and carefully into the spot in his back that Verstael knew bothered him in the most awful of ways. The only real response he got from Ardyn was a small grunt as the fingers began to work their way around. Of course they had doctors who could take care of this sort of thing. But Verstael thought of it as a way to get closer to Ardyn. The starscourged man was particular about who touched him and most of the time scoffed at the idea of someone who was unprepared to potentially die touching him.

Mainly because he didn't find them worthy of it. As Ardyn dozed on his chest Verstael wondered what sort of man he had used to be. Of course there were rumors and stories. And of course Ardyn had mumbled and whispered plenty in his sleep. But it was hard to piece it all together from just the nonsense. It was hard to tell what was real and what could have been deluded ramblings from a man who had been imprisoned for more than three his own lifespans. There had been something appealing about how Ardyn had hung there, clinging to life without any sort of hope or direction.

That sort of desolation had been just what Verstael had been hoping for when he found him. Though he had no idea what they would find in the cave it was better than he had imagined. Someone who had been willing to fall in line so easily to his whims of destroying the royal family. All Ardyn needed was just a small nudge. And for how all powerful he was, still he fell ill to the most basic of sicknesses. It seems not even men who were practically gods were entirely immune. The deepened breathing from Ardyn let the scientist know that he was probably asleep again. A deep sleep. 

As much as it pained him not to he wouldn't poke and prod at him on a cold, metal table. He was beyond that now having learned all he could while he was unconscious when he first came here. Now he had to be slightly afraid that Ardyn would wake up at any moment and choke the life out of him for deciding to experiment on him at his leisure instead of Ardyn's. Not that he really had much of a chance to do anything with him traveling all the time now. But that just meant he could see the extent of Ardyn's powers instead as he flexed and grew them. 

Ardyn shifted and stretched further in his sleep, face buried into Verstael's chest and arms sliding around him just lightly. It was enough to let Verstael know that unless he called for a guard to lift Ardyn he wouldn't be able to get up. The last thing he wanted was for Ardyn to be woken up carried by an armed guard again. The last time that had happened Verstael had ended up with a new test subject due to the guard being infected by the starscourge in a panic. Not something that he was complaining about. People were disposable so long as he got the data he needed.

Well, most people were. He wouldn't find anyone else like Ardyn. A man who could bring a god to his knees. A man who had beaten time and still managed to look not a day over the age in which he was imprisoned. There were so many things he wanted to learn about him... But instead for now he was resigned to leaning his head back against the wall. Carefully rubbing and stroking the sore parts of Ardyn's back and occasionally running his fingers through his hair. He couldn't move so he could just relax himself too. This was enough for now it seemed.


End file.
